Company description Our users - above all - are looking to work with organizations that make a difference. They have a keen interest in sustainable food and/or food culture. The more information that you include about how your business addresses those issues, the more applicants you will get. This could include a focus on a specific cultural cuisine, a dedication to using local / seasonal ingredients, from-scratch cooking, employing specific energy saving methods, and/or growing specific items in your own kitchen garden. Internship description Living Hope Farm is a Certified Naturally Grown produce farm nestled in the rolling hills of Harleysville in South Eastern Pennsylvania  about 40 minutes north of Philadelphia.  The farm is located in a lush pastoral area dotted with historical homes and barns, with access to extensive natural areas. We grow a wide diversity of vegetables, fruits and herbs on more than eight acres of vegetable beds.  Our main market is a 230+ member Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and we also serve farmers’ markets and wholesale customers.  

In addition to growing healthy food for the community, we work to preserve the land, promote good eating, and help to train the next generation of farmers. At Living Hope Farm, we are committed to maintaining connections between the well-being of people and the land through sustainable agriculture.  As part of our mission, we provide good food to underserved communities in our local Philadelphia area by donating to food banks and other nonprofits, working directly with families, and providing on-farm learning experiences for people in the community. 

We are in need of four interns for the 2016 season, starting at the beginning of May and continuing through mid November.  There may be the chance for one intern to begin earlier.  We welcome applicants with serious gardening experience who find fulfillment in working with others in a cooperative setting.  Experience in commercial farming and marketing of produce are helpful, but not necessary. 

As an intern you will gain experience in the full range of tasks necessary to run a small farm, from planning to planting to harvesting to marketing.  Interns will work between 40 and 55 hours / week, and you must be prepared for fast paced, sometimes-hard labor under all weather conditions.  To complement the hands-on learning, we will also have a weekly class covering topics in agricultural ecology and farm business management, with occasional off-farm workshops and visits to other farms.

At Living Hope Farm volunteers/interns will share in a variety of tasks such as:

• Field work: cultivating, hand weeding, planting, trellising, irrigating, pest control, and harvesting
• Greenhouse operations: seeding, potting, transplanting, pest control, etc.
• Packaging and Storage: washing, sorting harvested crops, quality control, and storage
• Marketing: CSA distribution, working farmers’ markets
• Tractor understanding

The internship will include education about topics in sustainable agriculture
Each week we will offer educational opportunities to our interns.  These will include on-farm classes, visits to farms in the area, and occasional off-farm workshops.  Classes will cover a wide range of topics including soil ecology and fertility, water management, rotation and intercropping, principals of organic pest management, cultivating beneficial organisms, farm planning and budgeting, Certified Naturally Grown and Certified Organic standards, local marketing strategies, and business efficiency.  Additionally, interns will be invited to pursue self-motivated projects or experiments on the farm. 

Living Hope offers all interns

• Compensation of $9 / hour for all work time (not including purely educational activities)
• Housing for all interns in a large, separate, ranch style home on the farm. The home allows interns to share several bedrooms, a kitchen, laundry, living space, and 3 full baths.  The monthly charge for housing is $500 for a single and $400 for a double; utilities, wireless internet access and educational expenses are included in this charge.
• Living Hope Farm produce is available for daily personal consumption.
• Two bikes are available for use by interns

We need highly motivated and energetic individuals with the ability to maintain a good attitude and sense of humor in the face of adverse conditions.  The ideal candidate will be able to take direction, work independently, and take initiative, as the farm manager does not always have time to be there with them. Preference is given to individuals that have prior farm experience and to those that wish to pursue ecological farming as a career path.  Must be able to lift 50 pounds and be physically able to bend or be in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time.

This is a season-long commitment.  When applying, please consider your ability to work alongside others joyfully and with enthusiasm. At times we will find ourselves needing to pay close attention to detail or pressed for time because of weather, or other unforeseen circumstances which create tension. Consider your strengths and weaknesses as well as what you have to offer to the workers at Living Hope Farm as you complete the application. Compensation this position is : hourly
Application instructions Deadlineno deadline